Whether breaking off the engagement or being rejected, the result was the same — it saved quite a bit of trouble.
But this Madam Lin's attitude was a bit too arrogant.
"Madam, can you completely represent Old Master Lin?"
Li Muchen had to make this clear, otherwise if the engagement was not ended cleanly, lingering ties would be hard to sever and trouble could arise in the future.
Madam Lin clearly misunderstood his meaning. With a mocking smile, she said, "You really are shameless. Back then, our old master got drunk and wrote up a marriage contract — it was nothing more than drunken nonsense, not to be taken seriously. Of course, I know that just letting you leave like this, you would surely be unwilling, and it would make our Lin family seem without grace. How about this — you leave the marriage contract, and I will give you two million. That sum is enough for you to live out the rest of your life comfortably."
Madam Lin raised her hand in signal, and Butler Luo brought out a case, placing it on the coffee table and opening it. Inside, stacks of bills were neatly arranged.
Li Muchen suddenly found it somewhat funny.
Had he come all this way just for two million?
If he agreed today, once word spread, wouldn't all the sects of the cultivation world laugh him to death? A dignified disciple of Heaven's Capital, under the Ten Thousand Immortals Sect, worth only two million?
Old Master Lin was not here, so he didn't know the man's true intentions. Madam Lin, however, was simply using money to drive people away.
Originally, breaking the engagement was to end the tie of fate. Now, it was becoming messier.
"Two million…" Li Muchen lightly patted the armrest of the chair beneath him — worth over twenty million — "the Lin family really is wealthy."
Madam Lin thought he felt the price was too low. She gave a cold laugh, "We don't have much cash at home. If you think it's too little, I can write you a check for another three million, making a total of five million. How about it?"
Li Muchen shook his head, his expression indifferent.
Madam Lin frowned slightly and said, "Ten million."
Li Muchen still said nothing.
Butler Luo said angrily, "Boy, don't fail to appreciate kindness. Human greed knows no bounds. Be careful you don't end up dead before you can spend it."
Li Muchen glanced at Butler Luo, then looked back at Madam Lin. "Is that a threat?"
"You could say so," Madam Lin said casually, essentially admitting Butler Luo's words.
"Madam, if you do this, you may regret it."
"Regret?" Madam Lin laughed. "Heh, I'd like to see how you could make me regret it."
Li Muchen stood up, took out a yellowed piece of paper from his pocket, and laid it flat on the table.
A gleam flashed in Madam Lin's eyes. "Now that's better — a young man who knows the bigger picture, who understands what is important and what is not. Some things are destined not to be yours, but money is something real that can truly change your fate."
She was just about to reach for it when Li Muchen pressed a hand on the paper.
"Does Madam know why I came today?"
"I have always believed that a person's fate must be in their own hands, and must not be controlled by others. Even my grandfather cannot dictate my marriage. So, today I originally came to break off the engagement."
Madam Lin paused slightly, then gave a mocking smile. Young men cared about their pride — finding themselves a way down, she could understand.
Li Muchen folded the paper again, his movements gentle and slow, folding it neatly before placing it back into his pocket.
"But now, I have no intention of breaking it off. If you want to end it, have Lin Shangyi come speak to me himself."
Madam Lin and Butler Luo's expressions instantly changed.
"Li Muchen, do you know what you're doing?"
Li Muchen ignored them, turned, and walked away without looking back.
Watching his departing figure, Madam Lin trembled with anger. She vaguely realized she might have made a huge mistake.
"Madam, should we stop him?" Butler Luo asked.
Madam Lin waved her hand. "Don't make a scene in the residence. This matter cannot be let known to the old master."
"Will the old master really approve of this marriage?"
"The old master values his reputation more than his life. If he knows Li Muchen came, he will definitely force Manqing to marry him. I will never marry my daughter to a penniless beggar — never!" Madam Lin said through gritted teeth.
"Madam, shall I…" Butler Luo made a hand gesture, "find someone to take care of him?"
Madam Lin was silent for a moment, then said, "Don't take his life — just teach him a lesson and drive him out of Hecheng. Most importantly, get back that marriage contract written in the old master's own hand."
She stood up wearily and started toward the stairs, then suddenly turned back. "Oh, and give him that two million — I already promised it. We can't let people say our Lin family is petty. Tell him never to set foot in Hecheng again."
"Don't worry, Madam, I'll see to it immediately." Butler Luo looked at the case of cash on the table, a trace of greed flashing in his eyes, and muttered, "He won't appear in Hecheng again…"
…
Leaving the Lin family villa, Li Muchen went straight to Lingshan Lake in the western suburbs, where his grandfather's grave was located.
He had grown up with his grandfather, living in an old house in the western suburbs, making a living by collecting garbage. When he was seven, his grandfather suddenly passed away. Because he couldn't afford a burial plot, he had no choice but to secretly bury his grandfather's remains on the deserted shore of Lingshan Lake — only there would no one interfere or demand payment.
Lingshan Lake was vast, stretching out of sight. He arrived at the desolate shore where his grandfather was buried. From here, the lake steamed with mist, water vapor drifting, like a scene from a fairyland.
Among the reeds on the deserted shore, someone was fishing. The fishing line was let out so far that the float was almost invisible.
As Li Muchen passed the man, he immediately sensed that this was no ordinary person, and that he was not truly fishing.
This person was circulating true qi; heat steamed off his body, while at the same time, the spiritual energy of the surrounding lake and mountains was gathering toward him.
This was a master — his skill had at least reached the Transforming Energy stage. But his body clearly bore very serious internal injuries; he was using the spiritual energy of the lake and mountains to heal himself.
Li Muchen hadn't expected to encounter a Transforming Energy master so soon after arriving in Hecheng. There were not many in the mortal realm who could reach this level. Of course, in the eyes of a Heaven's Capital disciple, this was nothing remarkable.
Beyond Transforming Energy was the Grandmaster level, and only after that could one qualify to challenge the Path to Heaven's Capital. Those who could climb Heaven's Capital Peak were extremely few.
Heaven's Capital Peak — the Ten Thousand Immortals Sect — was the ancestral court revered by all cultivation sects under heaven. In the great battle between immortals and demons back then, a hundred thousand sword immortals had formed the Ten Thousand Immortals Sword Formation on Heaven's Capital Peak to resist the outer-realm heavenly demons and protect peace in the mortal world.
Peace.
It was truly a place that looked down on all under heaven, far beyond the reach of ordinary people.
And Li Muchen had ascended Heaven's Capital Peak at the age of seven.
He had no interest in the fisherman by the lake, quickly passing by to kneel before his grandfather's grave.
More than ten years had passed. Thinking of his childhood, he couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion. His grandfather's kindly face appeared in his mind, and grief welled up in his heart. He cried out, "Grandfather, your unfilial grandson has come to see you!"
His voice, filled with sorrow, drifted with the wind, passing through the reeds, lingering and sobbing over the wide lake.
He knelt before the grave for a long time, silently recounting everything about his cultivation under Yun Yangzi on Heaven's Capital Peak, and finally spoke of the Lin family marriage contract, asking for his grandfather's forgiveness.
"The Lin family is far too arrogant. They need to be taught a lesson. But don't worry, Grandfather — I know you and Old Master Lin must have had a friendship, otherwise there wouldn't be such a contract. Whatever the outcome, I will return him a favor."
At that moment, five sneaky figures appeared on the deserted shore, quickly approaching Li Muchen.
One burly man pointed at Li Muchen. "Is it him?"
Another said, "That's right, big brother. I've been following him since he left the Lin family."
The burly man approached the solitary grave, scrutinizing Li Muchen for a few moments. "A ragged little Daoist — it should be him. Brothers, keep it clean. Master Luo said, take care of this kid and each of you will get a hundred thousand."
Li Muchen had already known someone was following him, but he didn't care. In his eyes, they were nothing more than ants.
When he heard them say "Master Luo," he frowned slightly. At the grave, he kowtowed three final times, then stood up and turned to face them.
"Kid, you sure picked a good place. After we kill you, we'll just dig a hole and bury you right here — won't even have to dump the body somewhere else."
"Don't blame us. We're just taking money to solve problems for others. Blame your bad luck — you offended someone you shouldn't have."